What to Do When Your Child Says They Hate Reading
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When a child says they hate reading, it's rarely actually about reading itself — it's usually about a specific book, a specific pressure, or a specific bad experience with it. The fix is almost never more discipline. It's finding what's actually gone wrong, and changing that one thing.
Start by figuring out which kind of hate reading it is
- The books are boring. They haven't found the right genre or format yet.
- It's too hard. The reading level feels effortful rather than enjoyable — a common and very fixable problem.
- It feels like homework. Reading has become associated with obligation, timers, or being tested on it.
- I'd rather do something else. Reading is genuinely competing with more immediately rewarding activities, and currently losing.
The right response is different for each of these — which is why simply pushing a child to read more often backfires.
If it's the books: change the genre, not the goal
Plenty of reluctant readers aren't reluctant at all once they find the right format — graphic novels, joke and fact books, sports biographies, choose-your-own-adventure stories. None of these are lesser reading. The goal is building the habit and identity of being a reader; the specific format can flex a lot to get there.
If it's too hard: go easier than feels right
A book slightly below a child's official level, read with real enjoyment, does more for their reading development than a harder book read with frustration. Confidence comes before ambition, not the other way around.
If it feels like homework: remove the pressure entirely, for a while
Drop timers, reading logs, and comprehension questions for a stretch, and let reading simply be reading — no follow-up required. For some children, this alone is what turns resentment back into interest.
If it's genuinely losing to other activities: make it easier to choose
Books within easy reach, a rotating supply so nothing feels stale, and modeling reading yourself all shift the balance — see our piece on screen time vs. reading time for more on this.
What not to do
- Don't force finishing a book they've clearly lost interest in — it's fine, even good, to abandon books.
- Don't tie reading to rewards or punishments — it can quietly teach that reading itself isn't the reward.
- Don't compare them to siblings or classmates who love reading — it rarely motivates and often does the opposite.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal for a child to go through a phase of hating reading?
Yes, very. Interest in reading naturally ebbs and flows, especially around school pressure or a recent difficult book experience.
Should I limit screen time to force more reading?
It can help reduce competition for attention, but on its own it rarely creates genuine enjoyment — pairing it with finding the right books matters more.
How long should I wait before trying a new approach?
If a strategy isn't working after a few weeks, it's worth changing tack rather than pushing the same approach harder.
Not sure what genre might actually land? Build a quick reader profile and we'll suggest a few places to start.